History
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2005
The Williamston Theatre began as the Williamston Theatre Project in the spring of 2004 when four Michigan-based theatre professionals - actor John Lepard, director Tony Caselli, arts administrator Christine Purchis and actress and producer Emily Sutton-Smith - chose Williamston as a location to found a not-for-profit, small, professional live theatre company. Throughout 2005, the four founders worked to develop their business plan, secure support for the project and raise awareness in the community.
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2006
In late 2005, local business leader Steve Zynda pledged to support the Theatre by underwriting its facility expenses. After a thorough evaluation, the property at 122 South Putnam Street in downtown Williamston was deemed suitable as a theatre space. Community volunteers rallied around the effort to open the Theatre and spent literally hundreds of man-hours building, painting and remodeling the former retail space to be a workable black box theatre with eighty-eight seats. Additional Particulars, a comedy by Ed Simpson, was the Theatre’s first full production and opened in June 2006.
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2006
During the first full season, the Detroit Free Press named the WT production of Rounding Third as one of the Top Ten Shows of 2006.
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2007
Williamston Theatre launched a partnership with Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre to continue the development of the next generation of theatre professionals through collaborative working experiences. Since then, the Williamston Theatre has provided dozens of job opportunities to young, early-career Michigan theatre professionals, both on stage and off. Many MSU Department of Theatre students have started their journey to Actors’ Equity Association union membership at the Williamston Theatre through their work both onstage and offstage.
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2007
The Theatre won a Thespie Award for all around terrific season: “The group won few specific awards, but was in the running for almost everything. It had an impressive season, filled with perfectly crafted shows.” The Theatre also won a 2007 Williamston Enterprise People’s Choice Award for Best Art Gallery.
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2008
The Williamston Theatre developed a groundbreaking trilogy of new plays called Voices From The Midwest. Taking place over the course of three seasons, these new works were developed through an interactive process with Midwesterners throughout the region. Spearheaded by playwright/creators Tony Caselli, Annie Martin, Suzi Regan, Joseph Zettelmaier and Dennis E. North, the works garnered both critical and audience praise and won numerous awards. Maidens, Mothers and Crones: Voices From Women of the Midwest debuted in 2008. Flyover, USA: Voices From Men of the Midwest debuted in 2009. Home: Voices From Families of the Midwest debuted in 2010. All three are available for production through the Williamston Theatre.
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2008
In 2008, the Lansing State Journal Awarded the Theatre and its four founders the prestigious Robert Busby Award for extraordinary contribution to theatre in the Greater Lansing Area. That same year, the Williamston Area Chamber of Commerce named the Theatre as the Chamber Member of the Year for their contribution to the vitality and economic health of the downtown area. The Theatre also received a Thespie Award Special Mention for Co-operative projects between theatre groups: Williamston Theatre and MSU for Art, and the 2008 Williamston Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Member of the Year.
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2009
Panache, Directed by Suzi Regan, wins Wilde Awards for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy for Alex Leydenfrost. Bartley H. Bauer wins a Thespie Award for Best Scenic Design. The cast features Matt Hollerbach, Keith Kalinowski, Sarab Kamoo, Alex Leydenfrost, and Maggie Meyer.
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2009
September finds the building abuzz with activity. HVAC duct work is getting improved, old wallpaper from the 1980s is being peeled off the walls in the front lobby, and in the back lobby new bathrooms are being installed. This allows the team to remove the single bathroom facility that had been inside the Theatre space and in use as the women’s restroom for three seasons. Capacity increased from 88 to almost 100.
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2009
Thespie Committee gave a special mention for an entire season of excellent sets in tight quarters as well as “a nod to the Williamston Theatre, for another extraordinary year. Last Year, Williamston won the Robert Busby Award for its strong season; this year, it may have been even better.”
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2010
It Came From Mars, directed by Tony Caselli, wins a slew of awards include Thespie Awards for Best Director, Best Ensemble, and Best Original Script, Wilde Awards for Best Production of a New Script, Best Actor in a Comedy (Jacob Hodgson), Best Prop Design (Charles Sutherland), an American Theatre Critics Association/Steinberg New Play Award Nomination, and is named a Top Show of 2010 by the Detroit Free Press. The cast features Joseph Albright, Sandra Birch, Morgan Chard, Jacob Hodgson, Alysia Kolascz, and Wayne David Parker.
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2011
Oedipus, adapted by Tony Caselli and Annie Martin and directed by Tony Caselli, wins Wilde Awards for Best Drama and Best Actor in a Drama for John M. Manfredi. The cast features Sandra Birch, Barton Bund, John M. Manfredi, Brandon Piper, and Jamie Weeder.
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2012
boom, directed by Tony Caselli, wins a Wilde Award for Best Comedy and a Pulsar Award for Best Play. The cast includes Aral Gribble, Sarab Kamoo, and Alissa Nordmoe.
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2012
Dead Man’s Shoes, written by Joseph Zettelmaier and directed by David Wolber, wins a Wilde Award, a Pulsar Award, and a Thespie Award for Best New Script or World Premiere Show. The Thespie committee gives a special mention to Aral Gribble for his off-beat comedic excellence. Kirk Domer’s unique set features 18 locations painted on a backdrop spun on a winch by cast members Aral Gribble, Paul Hopper, Maggie Meyer, and Drew Parker.
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2014
John M. Manfredi and Sandra Birch win a Wilde Award for Best Duo in The Lion in Winter, the story of the tumultuous relationship between Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. They were directed by John Lepard and shared the stage with MSU students Michael Barbour, Andrew Buck, Andrew Head, Katie Maggart, and Blaine Mizer.
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2014
The American Theatre Wing recognizes the Williamston Theatre as one of the top twelve up-and-coming young theatres across the country with a National Theatre Company Grant Award. Founders Tony Caselli and Emily Sutton-Smith travel to New York City to accept the award.
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2015
On December 30, 2014, with the support of major donors to the Theatre, the organization took ownership of its building at 122 S. Putnam Street in Williamston, securing its home in Central Michigan for the long term. In August of 2015, the building was renamed the Zynda Building, home of the Williamston Theatre.
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2016
In celebration of ten years of production, the Theatre publishes a two-volume anthology of plays that had their world premieres on the Williamston Theatre stage.
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2016
The Theatre produces its first National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere with Joseph Zettelmaier’s Pulp. The show is directed by Tony Caselli and features Joe Bailey, Mark Colson, Aral Gribble, Alysia Kolascz, and John Lepard in the cast.
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2017
Audiences are riveted by the Theatre’s production of 1984, directed by Tony Caselli. Critics love it too, and it wins Wilde Awards for Best Play and Best Actor (David Wolber). The cast features Tobin Hissong, Curran Jacobs, John Lepard, Robin Lewis-Bedz, Brandy Joe Plambeck, and David Wolber.
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2018
Thespie Award for for a season that rippled with shows – two of them world premieres – that had strong roles for women.
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2019
The world premiere production of To Quiet The Quiet by Christy Hall wins Pulsar Awards for Best Original Script, Best Supporting Actor (John Lepard), Best Props Design (Michelle Raymond), and a Wilde Award for Best Original Production.
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2019
After years of planning, the first step is taken toward removing the structural poles in the performance space. A new stage management booth is constructed in the back lobby, with an unobstructed view of the entire stage and all audience sections. The old booth is removed from the southwest corner of the space and a new aisle to the back lobby is created.
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2020
The world premiere of Annie Martin’s 900 Miles To International Falls wins a slew of awards including: Wilde Awards for Best Drama, Best New Script, Best Director, Best Actress (Casaundra Freeman), Best Supporting Actor (jøn kent), Best Visual Design using Multimedia (Alison Dobbins), and Best Prop Design (Michelle Raymond); Thespie Awards for Best Original Script, Best Media Design (Alison Dobbins), Best Featured Actress (Heather Mahoney); and Pulsar Awards for Best Play, Best Original Script, Best Director (Tony Caselli), Best Lighting Design (Reid Johnson), Best Specialization (Media-Alison Dobbins), and Best Supporting Actress (Heather Mahoney). The cast features Darah Donaher, Casaundra Freeman, jøn kent, Heather Mahoney, and Karen Sheridan.
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2020
In the wake of the sudden Covid-19 pandemic and shut down, the Theatre’s production of These Mortal Hosts is turned into a film and released online during the lockdown. The play/film hybrid is directed by Paige Conway and features Mark Colson, Anna Ryzenga, and Emily Sutton-Smith.
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2021
As the Covid-19 health crisis continued and in-person events were still risky, the Theatre team launched the Strolling Stories Series to offer audio storytelling experiences to its audiences.
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2022 - 2022
After 15 years of planning, and 4 years of planned construction between seasons, the Williamston Theatre is finally a space with no poles obstructing the view of the stage! Structural engineer Scott Walkowicz developed a unique plan to build an exoskeleton to hold up the second floor of the building and remove the poles that had been in place since the building was constructed in the 1890s. Laux Construction working with WT staff to stage the project over 4 years, so that the performance schedule would not be disrupted. With the support of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the Lansing Rotary Foundation, and hundreds of generous donors, the WT opened The Magnolia Ballet Part 1 by Terry Guest in October 2022 in the "new" space.
Lansing City Pulse article.
